Arcana:

(ASPEN MAGAZINE). O'Doherty, Brian, Guest Editor. New York: Roaring Fork Press, Inc., 1967. First Edition. Small 4to. Illustrated Portfolio. Arts Periodical. Good.. np (nineteen printed components + advertisements, one film reel, and five flexi-discs housed in a printed paper-over-boards box, profusely illustrated in b&w. Designed by Brian O'Doherty, David Dalton, and Lynn Letterman. Edited by Irish-born, New York-based artist and critic Brian O'Doherty, this combined fifth and sixth installment of "Aspen" magazine from 1967 is an elaborate collection of commissioned projects by avant-garde artists, writers, composers, and filmmakers - heavy on the Minimal and Conceptual. Dedicated by the editor to Stephane Mallarme, among its notable components are a recording of William S. Burroughs reading an excerpt from "Nova Express", "Smoke" - a miniature assemble-it-yourself sculptural multiple by Tony Smith, and "Serial Project #1, 1966" - the very first artist book by Sol LeWitt (cited on page 28 of Giorgio Maffei and Emanuele de Donno's "Sol LeWitt: Artist's Books" as well as entry number one in Alicia Legg's "Books by the Artist" bibliography in MoMA's 1979 "Sol LeWitt). The sole double issue of eleven total published, it includes contributions by or about Sigmund Bode, Roland Barthes, George Kubler, Susan Sontag, Samuel Beckett, Jack MacGowan, Burroughs, Alain Robbe-Grillet, Max Neuhaus, Morton Feldman, Smith, Hans Richter, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Stan VanDerBeek, Robert Rauschenberg, Merce Cunningham, Marcel Duchamp, Richard Huelsenbeck, Naum Gabo, Antoine Pevsner, Douglas MacAgy, Michel Butor, Dan Graham, LeWitt, Brian O'Doherty, and Mel Bochner. An internally most presentable example of this exceedingly uncommon item complete with the usually missing film reel and advertisement folder showing a bit of age-toning and occasional mild foxing to some of the printed sections. The copy of LeWitt's "Serial Project #1, 1966"" is exceptionally crisp and white. The publisher's printed exterior box exhibits the usual overall wear, creasing, age-toning, and soiling along with some mild insect damage and compression. Still in all this is a complete and intact copy of this sixties gem that looks better in hand than it describes that has been priced accordingly. Inventory Number: 026561